Morality Lessons From. . .Raquel Welch?

Raquel Welch, the “sex symbol” of the 1960’s and ’70’s, has become an unusual advocate for marriage and sexual standards. She recently told CNN that: “These days, nobody seems able to ‘keep it in their pants’ or honor a commitment! Raising the question: Is marriage still a viable option? I’m ashamed to admit that I myself have been married four times, and yet I still feel that it is the cornerstone of civilization, an essential institution that stabilizes society, provides a sanctuary for children and saves us from anarchy.

Raquel Welch in the 1973 THE THREE MUSKETEERS

“In stark contrast, a lack of sexual inhibitions, or as some call it, ‘sexual freedom,’ has taken the caution and discernment out of choosing a sexual partner, which used to be the equivalent of choosing a life partner. Without a commitment, the trust and loyalty between couples of childbearing age is missing and obviously leads to incidents of infidelity. No one seems immune.”

Ms. Welch tells anecdotes about friends who have teenagers and have been shocked to find sex among teenager to be commonplace.

She concludes, “Seriously, folks, if an aging sex symbol like me starts waving the red flag of caution over how low moral standards have plummeted, you know it’s gotta be pretty bad. In fact, it’s precisely because of the sexy image I’ve had that it’s important for me to speak up and say: Come on girls! Time to pull up our socks! We’re capable of so much better.”